Cyclonic storm Helen may not bring rainfall to Chennai

Cyclonic storm ‘Helen’, lying 470 km east-northeast of Chennai and 320 km east-southeast of Machillipatnam on Wednesday, is expected to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm and cross south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Machillipatnam on Friday morning. However, this may not bring much rainfall to the city, say meteorologists.

According to meteorological department, the cyclonic storm ‘Helen’ over west central Bay of Bengal would cross the coast close to Ongole, in Andhra Pradesh. Though heavy rainfall has been predicted for Rayalaseema and adjoining north Tamil Nadu coastal region, Chennai and its neighbourhood may not have rainfall on Thursday.

S.R. Ramanan, director of Area Cyclone Warning Centre, said that the cyclonic storm may bring rains to places such as Vellore during landfall. Dry weather would prevail over city on Thursday. Rain or thundershowers may occur in some areas of Chennai on Friday. Chennai has so far received 332 mm of rainfall, which is less by 268 mm for the northeast monsoon so far. The weather observatory at Meenambakkam has registered 400 mm, less by 130 mm for the season, he said.